The West End Theatre Experience

Broadway is to New York, as West End is to London. In the heart of the city, you'll find the famous theatre district.

A Central Location

You can find the majority of theatres around Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus and Charing Cross. London's West End is traditionally defined by The Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west and Kingsway to the east. Some exceptions, such as the Apollo Victoria Theatre and the Victoria Palace Theatre, sit outside these traditional boundaries but are still considered West End theatres.

How can you get there?

Because of its central location, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding your way. You have options to choose from: taxi, Uber, bus or the Tube. Many bus routes go through or around this area, so you'll just have to pick one depending on where you're coming from. As an example, if you're leaving from Chelsea, take bus 19, which runs right through West End. If you're taking the Tube, get off at any of the following stations: Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, Charing Cross or Covent Garden.

A map of London's West End theatres.

Even if you're not a theatre aficionado, there's bound to be a performance you'll enjoy.

Musicals

From classics, such as "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Misérables," to Disney's "The Lion King" and "Aladdin," the West End is home to many familiar musicals. The Apollo Victoria Theatre is one of the largest West End theatres with about 2,300 seats for those who want to see the hit musical,"Wicked." Meanwhile, "Les Misérables"is the longest running musical in West End history, having opened in 1985.

In the Spotlight: "Mamma Mia!"

If you're a fan of ABBA or '70s music, you can't miss seeing "Mamma Mia!" at the Novello Theatre. Many of ABBA's hit songs are incorporated into the plot of the jukebox musical, which follows a young woman who wants to find and meet her father before her wedding day.

Before the musical starts, the curtain resembles a blue ocean, which introduces the setting—a Greek island. During the two acts, it's hard not to sing along to the musical numbers, including "Dancing Queen," "Waterloo," and "Take a Chance on Me." About two and a half hours later after a final bow, the cast comes back out for an encore performance, with the leads in brightly colored disco costumes.

Outside the Novello Theatre.

Plays

Not into musicals? You still have plenty of plays to choose from. Plays tend to be performed in the smaller theatres. And with a smaller audience, there's usually a more intimate atmosphere. A notable one to mention is Agatha Christie's murder-mystery play,"The Mousetrap." It's the longest-running production in the world, ever since it opened in 1974.

In the Spotlight: "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child"

Harry Potter's story isn't done yet. This new West End two-part play picks up where the epilogue of the final "Harry Potter" book ends, with Harry and Ginny Potter sending their children off to Hogwarts.

Many fans were left disappointed with the plot when the script was released as a book last year in August. However, seeing the play in action is a completely different experience. You're able to feel every emotion from the cast. The lighting, music and choreography were outstanding as well. But most importantly, the special effects for all the magic is what really brings you back into the wizarding world. After watching the play, you may now start to understand how "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" won a record-breaking amount of 9 awards at the 2017 Laurence Olivier Awards.

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" is performed at the Palace Theatre.

"Stage Dooring" After the Performance

Depending on your level of interest, you might want to consider staying by the theatre's stage door after the performance, so you can meet the cast members. It can take a while before any of the actors come out, so patience is a must. Once they do come out, you should be polite and respectful. If someone doesn't want a photo taken or is rushing off, don't take offense. But often times, actors will gladly stick around, sign autographs, take photos or possibly even chat.